The Many -Isms of the Metacrisis
The Great Simplification #118 with Michael Every
Joining me today is Michael Every - one of a few individuals that I’m aware of in the financial field that have an energy informed, systems lens, but also integrate the environment into their economic outlook. Michael and I discuss global macro trends in economics, politics, and social movements along with what sorts of ‘-isms’ might be in store in the future. By taking a wide-view lens of current events, we can better see how seemingly isolated events interconnect and what mainstream economic theories tend to miss.
Michael Every is Global Strategist at Dutch investment bank Rabobank in Singapore analyzing major developments and key thematic trends, especially on the intersection of geopolitics, economics, and markets. He is frequently published and quoted in financial media, is a regular conference keynote speaker, and was invited to present to the 2022 G-20 on the current global crisis. Michael has lived and worked in 9 countries and been in the industry for nearly 25 years, with previous roles at Silk Road Associates, the Royal Bank of Canada, and Dun & Bradstreet. He holds a BA from Lancaster University, and a master’s degree from University College London.
What do rising political tensions and dissatisfaction around the globe amidst increasing GDP tell us about the accuracy of our economic measures? How much are geopolitical conflicts and supply chain disruptions contributing to current inflationary pressures? And what can we learn from current economic models as we steer towards a new system with lower energy throughput in a multipolar world?
In case you missed it…
Based on last week’s podcast episode with Geoffrey West, which covered how biological scaling applies to human economies, this follow-up Frankly are some questions brought up for me on what this might mean for the future of our societies. Throughout history and up to today, there are scaling patterns driving our social and infrastructural metabolism - potentially shedding light on some long debated questions about the limits of our ability to design our societies.
Do we as humans have the agency to create different paths towards less resource consumption, or are we trapped within a previously hidden law of nature? Will the resource and waste limitations of our biosphere force us to live differently, regardless of our choices? More hopefully, can understanding we have a metabolism change our metabolism, and steer futures away from the current default?
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